Dear colleagues, This months newsletter on IT @ Bioquant deals with the following topics: Software Updates: Maple 14, Matlab 2010a New Linux Application Server: appl2 Linux Application Server upgrades: appl1, appl9, appl10 Cluster Users Meeting BioQuant Central Resource Calendar system Poster Printing Software Updates: Maple 14, Matlab 2010a New versions of Maple and Matlab have been released: - Maple14 will soon be available on our servers. As we are still running Maple12, we will drop this version as soon as we get Maple14 in production. - Matlab 2010a: we are going to install Matlab 2010a as soon as possible (2010b is in pre-release state). We will then support only two versions of Matlab, namely 2009a and 2010b (dropping support for 2008a from then on). As soon as the upgrade of the Linux application servers is done (see below), we will deploy also the new software releases. This will be also done on the BioQuant compute cluster. New Linux Application Server: appl2 Since our attempts to update the OS of our Linux Application Servers have failed, and we very often come across software which is not supported by Debian 4. We have installed a new machine with the current stable Debian release 5, codename Lenny. The name of the machine is appl2. We tried to keep things as similar as possible to the old application servers which run reliably for some time now. Therefore, you will find most packages available on appl{1|9| 10} also on appl2, most of them in newer versions. Our request to all Linux users: please log on to appl2 and check whether everything you need is available there too and works for you. In case you find anything missing, be it an application, a run-time library or any other resource, please send your feedback to support-it@bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de. It is our intention to re-install in the very near future the other Linux Application Servers too. Linux Application Server upgrades: appl1, appl9, appl10 The above mentioned software updates require operating system upgrades on the Linux application servers, appl1, appl9 and appl10. Therefore we are going to take one after another offline for some time. We will make all software packages available on the remaining upgraded application servers. The actual re-installation of individual servers will be announced shortly/at short notice. We plan to make the upgrade as smooth as possible. Cluster Users Meeting Next month the next Cluster Users Meeting will take place. We will announce the exact date in a separate mail. Following topics will be addressed: * Overview of the available hardware * Overview of the installed software and other available ressources * Job Submission and Monitoring * Usage policy and limitations Other topics can be discussed on demand. Please submit your requests before 30.06.2010 via email to cluster@bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de. BioQuant Central Resource Calendar system We have recently implemented a calendering solution from Arizona Research Labs called "OCF Scheduler" This web based system is now in active use by Electrom Microscopy Core Facility (EMCF). The calendering system offers a numebr of advantages: It will enable scientific groups and services the opportunity to publish and make everybody aware what resources, instruments, services are actualy available here in BioQuant. It will allow for the effective use of the equipment and will enable users to plan there experiments better knowing they have reserved time and space on a specific device. If you are interested in publishing your resources via the OCF Scheduler please contact us at support-it@bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de If you would like to see what is currently available, please follow the link below: https://resources.bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de/ Poster Printing Conference time is upon us again and a lot of you will be busy preparing posters to take with you to various meetings. Please bear in mind that the central poster printing service we offer operates on a first come first served principle and we can NOT make the printer, print any faster if you have left it until the last moment to print your work. Another important point to remember also, is if you request your poster to be printed on high gloss photo paper, that it will take a longer time to dry. Unfortunately we have seen posters badly smeared when rolled up to soon! That would be a shame after all the hard work you put into it. In case you are looking for IT support, you can simply send an e-mail to support-it@bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de as usual or pass by at room 062, ground floor. Greetings, Marc PS: Check out our web page available from the internal pages http://www.bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de/intern.html -> IT for any further information on IT Services at BioQuant. -- Dr. Marc Hemberger Leiter der EDV / Head of IT Fon: +49 6221/54-51-300 BioQuant / INF 267 marc.hemberger@bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Fax: +49 6221/54-51-480 69120 Heidelberg http://www.bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de ** Disclaimer: My views/comments/beliefs, as strange as they are, are my own.**